Officials confirm the remains of passengers onboard American Airlines flight that crashed have now been recovered

Authorities have concluded search and recovery efforts after an American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter.

Last week (January 29), American Airlines Flight 5432 crashed into an Army Black Hawk midair as it approached to land at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia.

Both aircrafts plunged into the Potomac River in Washington, DC, resulting in the deaths of everyone on board.

Officials have now confirmed the bodies of all 67 victims have now been recovered, including the 60 passengers and four crew members flying on the commercial jet and the three bodies from the military helicopter. Of the 67 victims, all but one have been identified.

According to Fox5, the chief medical examiner’s office is still working on identifying the final victim.

In a statement, the authorities called the recovery a ‘significant step’, adding: “Our hearts are with the victims’ families as they navigate this tragic loss.

“We extend our deepest condolences and remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time.”

28 of those onboard the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, were young Olympic hopefuls attending a figure skating competition, according to U.S Figure Skating.

“They were incredible athletes, caring and supportive family members, and coaches who worked tirelessly for their athletes,” U.S Figure Skating interim CEO Samuel Auxier shared in a statement.

“They were beloved members of our global skating community, and we mourn their loss together.”

Experts are still working on salvaging the aircraft wreckage (Al Drago/Getty Images)

As a salvage team continues to lift debris from the Potomac River, the emergency is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

On Wednesday (February 4) the NTSB Newsroom’s official X account confirmed there would be no more ‘scene media briefings’ regarding the collision.

“NTSB needs additional information to verify data points from the Black Hawk. In order to obtain this information, the Black Hawk needs to be recovered from the water, which is expected to take place later this week,” a statement read.

“Any future media briefings will take place at NTSB headquarters.”

In a press release issued on the same day, the NTSB said the Black Hawk was at around 300 feet on the air traffic control display at the time of the collision.

This is significant because helicopters flying in the National Capital Region have a 200-foot ceiling, meaning it would have exceeded its limit.

However, as data is rounded to the nearest 100 feet, NTSB has confirmed the aircraft could have been flying between 251 feet and 349 feet at the time of the crash.

Meanwhile, NBC reports the passenger jet’s last known altitude was logged at about 375 feet.

There were 64 passengers and crew members traveling on the American Airlines jet (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Speaking about the ongoing investigation and its complexity, Todd Inman, the lead NTSB investigator on the case, said: “There are a lot of pieces here. Our team is working hard to gather this data.”

Meanwhile, former director of the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation Steven Wallace told CNN he believes the cause of the disaster will present itself shortly.

“We have radar data, we have eyewitnesses, and we have all the wreckage,” he explained. “There’s nothing missing.”

CNN writes that a preliminary report from the NTSB regarding the January 29 collision is likely to be published in a month.

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